Gian Piero Gasperini has acknowledged Inter's superiority ahead of Roma's home fixture at the Olimpico while insisting his side harbours genuine ambitions to compete with them. The Roma head coach was direct in his assessment, telling media that "Inter is the reference team for our league and for everyone," citing their extraordinary performances in Italy and Europe, including two recent continental finals. Both Repubblica and Retesport covered Gasperini's recognition that Inter represent the benchmark other Serie A clubs must measure themselves against, with the coach framing the encounter as an important opportunity for Roma to test themselves against the league's elite.
Gasperini reflected candidly on his recent record against Inter, noting a painful historical trend. "There was a period in which we managed to get results against Inter, then in recent years it has not been that way; instead there have always been defeats," he said, acknowledging the consistency of the outcome across different coaching eras at the Nerazzurri. Despite this, he emphasised the unpredictability of individual matches and stressed his commitment to reading situations moment by moment rather than relying on tactical templates. Retesport adds that Gasperini expressed satisfaction with Roma's start to the season and the club's league position, describing the fixture as a significant occasion for both teams with a full stadium and considerable enthusiasm.
On team news, Gasperini confirmed all key players would be available for selection. He indicated that Lorenzo Pellegrini, recently sidelined, has now trained regularly with the squad for a second consecutive week and is fit for consideration. The coach also noted that Manu Koné, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley remain available, describing their collective availability as "an extraordinary result, because it rarely happens."
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